Community rallies to water trees

Ballarat in Victoria is set to join cities around Australia and overseas by engaging community members to help water local trees with plastic buckets.

Homeowners and local businesses will be provided with free nine-litre buckets made from recycled plastic and be asked to assist by watering trees as part of the council’s annual street planting program.

The move was prompted after the dry summer saw several trees in Ballarat lost due to lack of water.

City of Ballarat councillor, Vicky Coltman, said that residents’ efforts would build on the council’s regular watering program for new plantings around the CBD, with the additional care ensuring a higher survival rate of new plantings.

Councillor Coltman said, “The buckets are fully recycled and will also contain information about the planted tree, how to care for it and what it will look like when it grows.”

Each new tree will be watered and maintained by the council for at least one growing season, with the $750 bucket initiative partially offset by a reduction in the number of trees that later need to be replaced.